Molyneux Shuldham, 1st Baron Shuldham
Encyclopedia
Molyneux Shuldham was an officer of the British Royal Navy
. He served for a time as colonial governor of Newfoundland.
circa 1717, and was the second son of the Reverend Samuel Shuldham, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Daniel Molyneux of Ballymulvy, of County Longford
. Molyneux entered the navy in 1732 as captain's servant on board , with Captain George Forbes
(afterwards Earl of Granard
and governor of County Longford). He afterwards served in with Captain Charles Fanshawe, and for upwards of four years in with Fitzroy Henry Lee
. He passed his examination on 25 January 1739, being then described on his certificate as ‘near twenty-two.’ According to the statement in Charnock, he was not seventeen.
On 31 August 1739, he was promoted to be lieutenant of , one of the ships which went out to the West Indies with Sir Chaloner Ogle
, and took part in the unsuccessful attack
on Cartagena
in 1741. In 1742 he was first lieutenant of her when, on 21 September, she was set on fire in a drunken squabble between a marine and the purser's boy and burnt, with a large proportion of the ship's company. Shuldham, with the captain and other officers, was tried by court-martial on 15 October, but was acquitted of all blame.
on 11 March 1756, she fell in with a French 74-gun ship and two frigates, which overpowered and captured her.
for nearly two years, and returned to England in a cartel
on 16 March 1758. A court-martial acquitted him of all blame for the loss of the ship, and on 25 July 1758 he was appointed to , in which he joined Commodore Sir John Moore
in the West Indies and took part in the reduction of Guadeloupe and its dependent islands, March to May 1759 under Commodore Moore.
In July, he was moved by Moore into , which was lost on a reef of rocks at Fort Royal off Martinique
as she was standing in to engage a battery on 8 January 1762, when the island was attacked and reduced by Rear-Admiral Rodney
. In April, Rodney appointed Shuldham to HMS Marlborough
, from which a few days later he was moved by Sir George Pocock
to , and again by Rodney after a few weeks to the Foudroyant
, in which he returned to England at the peace. In December 1766, he was appointed to , the guardship at Plymouth
, and in November 1770, to , then commissioned in consequence of the expected rupture with Spain
.
on the Labrador
coast and sent his lieutenant, Roger Curtis
, to inspect the northern coast and the Moravian missionaries.
as member for Fowey
, and on 29 September, was appointed commander-in-chief on the coast of North America from the river St. Lawrence to Cape Florida. He went out with his flag in the 50-gun , arriving at Boston
on 30 December after a passage of sixty-one days, having been promoted, on 7 December while on the way out, to be vice-admiral of the blue. His work was limited to covering the operations of the troops, and preventing the colonial trade. In July 1776, He escorted Admiral Howe into New York Harbor. He was replaced by Lord Howe
, and on 31 July, was created a peer of Ireland by the title of Baron Shuldham. Early in 1777 he returned to England, and from 1778 to 1783 was Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
.
He was promoted on 24 September 1787 to be admiral of the blue, and on 1 February 1793 to be admiral of the white. He died at Lisbon
in the autumn of 1798. He left no issue, and the title became extinct. His body was transported back to England aboard , which was also carrying many of the antique vases collected by Sir William Hamilton
. Colossus was wrecked in a gale on the Isles of Scilly
, but while many of Sir William's vases were lost, Shuldham's body was recovered through 'heroic efforts'.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. He served for a time as colonial governor of Newfoundland.
Family and early life
Molyneux Shuldham was born in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
circa 1717, and was the second son of the Reverend Samuel Shuldham, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Daniel Molyneux of Ballymulvy, of County Longford
County Longford
County Longford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford.Longford County Council is the local authority for the county...
. Molyneux entered the navy in 1732 as captain's servant on board , with Captain George Forbes
George Forbes, 3rd Earl of Granard
George Forbes, 3rd Earl of Granard PC was an Anglo-Irish naval commander and diplomat.-Life:He was the son of Arthur Forbes, 2nd Earl of Granard, by his wife Mary, daughter of Sir George Rawdon, 1st Baronet, of Moira, county Down, was born in Ireland 21 October 1685, and was for a time at the...
(afterwards Earl of Granard
Earl of Granard
Earl of Granard is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1684 for Arthur Forbes, 1st Viscount Granard. He was a Lieutenant-General in the army and served as Marshal of the Army in Ireland after The Restoration and was later Lord Justice of Ireland...
and governor of County Longford). He afterwards served in with Captain Charles Fanshawe, and for upwards of four years in with Fitzroy Henry Lee
FitzRoy Henry Lee
Fitzroy Henry Lee was an officer of the Royal Navy. He served as Commodore Governor of Newfoundland, Canada. He was supposedly the model for Hawser Trunnion from Tobias Smollett's The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle....
. He passed his examination on 25 January 1739, being then described on his certificate as ‘near twenty-two.’ According to the statement in Charnock, he was not seventeen.
On 31 August 1739, he was promoted to be lieutenant of , one of the ships which went out to the West Indies with Sir Chaloner Ogle
Chaloner Ogle
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Chaloner Ogle was a British naval commander during the War of the Austrian Succession.-Naval career:Born the son of John Ogle, a Newcastle barrister, Ogle came from the Kirkley Hall branch of the prominent Northumbrian Ogle family of Northumberland...
, and took part in the unsuccessful attack
Battle of Cartagena de Indias
The Battle of Cartagena de Indias was an amphibious military engagement between the forces of Britain under Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon and those of Spain under Admiral Blas de Lezo. It took place at the city of Cartagena de Indias in March 1741, in present-day Colombia...
on Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
in 1741. In 1742 he was first lieutenant of her when, on 21 September, she was set on fire in a drunken squabble between a marine and the purser's boy and burnt, with a large proportion of the ship's company. Shuldham, with the captain and other officers, was tried by court-martial on 15 October, but was acquitted of all blame.
Command
On 12 May 1746, he was promoted to be captain of , then employed on the coast of Scotland; in December 1748, he was appointed to , and in March 1749, to . In October 1754, he was appointed to , from which, in March 1755, he was moved to the 60-gun , going out to the West Indies, where, near MartiniqueMartinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
on 11 March 1756, she fell in with a French 74-gun ship and two frigates, which overpowered and captured her.
Seven Years' War
War had not then been declared, but hostilities had been going on for several months, as Shuldham very well knew, and the story that he mistook the enemy's ships of war for merchantmen would be but little to his credit if there was any reason to suppose it true. He, with the crew of the Warwick, was sent to France, kept a prisoner at large at PoitiersPoitiers
Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
for nearly two years, and returned to England in a cartel
Cartel
A cartel is a formal agreement among competing firms. It is a formal organization of producers and manufacturers that agree to fix prices, marketing, and production. Cartels usually occur in an oligopolistic industry, where there is a small number of sellers and usually involve homogeneous products...
on 16 March 1758. A court-martial acquitted him of all blame for the loss of the ship, and on 25 July 1758 he was appointed to , in which he joined Commodore Sir John Moore
Sir John Moore, 1st Baronet
Sir John Moore, 1st Baronet KB was a British officer of the Royal Navy during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War. He eventually rose to the rank of Admiral.-Childhood:...
in the West Indies and took part in the reduction of Guadeloupe and its dependent islands, March to May 1759 under Commodore Moore.
In July, he was moved by Moore into , which was lost on a reef of rocks at Fort Royal off Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
as she was standing in to engage a battery on 8 January 1762, when the island was attacked and reduced by Rear-Admiral Rodney
George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney
George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, KB was a British naval officer. He is best known for his commands in the American War of Independence, particularly his victory over the French at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782...
. In April, Rodney appointed Shuldham to HMS Marlborough
HMS St Michael (1669)
HMS St Michael was a 90-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by John Tippetts of Portsmouth Dockyard and launched in 1669....
, from which a few days later he was moved by Sir George Pocock
George Pocock
Sir George Pocock, KB was a British officer of the Royal Navy. He rose to the rank of admiral.Pocock was from Chieveley in Berkshire, the son of Thomas Pocock, a chaplain in the navy. George Pocock entered the navy in 1718, serving aboard under the patronage of his maternal uncle, Captain...
to , and again by Rodney after a few weeks to the Foudroyant
HMS Foudroyant (1758)
The Foudroyant was a 80-gun ship of the line of the French Navy. She was later captured and served in the Royal Navy as the Third Rate HMS Foudroyant.-French Navy and capture:...
, in which he returned to England at the peace. In December 1766, he was appointed to , the guardship at Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, and in November 1770, to , then commissioned in consequence of the expected rupture with Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Governor of Newfoundland
On 14 February 1772, he was appointed commodore and commander-in-chief on the Newfoundland station, which office he held for three years. He was responsible for the construction of Fort Townshend, which was completed in 1780. Shuldham visited Chateau BayChateau Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador
Chateau Bay is a settlement in Newfoundland and Labrador....
on the Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
coast and sent his lieutenant, Roger Curtis
Roger Curtis
Admiral Sir Roger Curtis, 1st Baronet, GCB was an officer of the British Royal Navy, who saw action in several battles during an extensive career that was punctuated by a number of highly controversial incidents...
, to inspect the northern coast and the Moravian missionaries.
Flag rank
On 31 March 1775 he was promoted to be rear-admiral of the white. At the general election in the following autumn he was returned to the House of CommonsHouse of Commons of Great Britain
The House of Commons of Great Britain was the lower house of the Parliament of Great Britain between 1707 and 1801. In 1707, as a result of the Acts of Union of that year, it replaced the House of Commons of England and the third estate of the Parliament of Scotland, as one of the most significant...
as member for Fowey
Fowey (UK Parliament constituency)
Fowey was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1571 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
, and on 29 September, was appointed commander-in-chief on the coast of North America from the river St. Lawrence to Cape Florida. He went out with his flag in the 50-gun , arriving at Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
on 30 December after a passage of sixty-one days, having been promoted, on 7 December while on the way out, to be vice-admiral of the blue. His work was limited to covering the operations of the troops, and preventing the colonial trade. In July 1776, He escorted Admiral Howe into New York Harbor. He was replaced by Lord Howe
Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe
Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe KG was a British naval officer, notable in particular for his service during the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars. He was the brother of William Howe and George Howe.Howe joined the navy at the age of thirteen and served...
, and on 31 July, was created a peer of Ireland by the title of Baron Shuldham. Early in 1777 he returned to England, and from 1778 to 1783 was Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
.
He was promoted on 24 September 1787 to be admiral of the blue, and on 1 February 1793 to be admiral of the white. He died at Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
in the autumn of 1798. He left no issue, and the title became extinct. His body was transported back to England aboard , which was also carrying many of the antique vases collected by Sir William Hamilton
William Hamilton (diplomat)
Sir William Hamilton KB, PC, FRS was a Scottish diplomat, antiquarian, archaeologist and vulcanologist. After a short period as a Member of Parliament, he served as British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Naples from 1764 to 1800...
. Colossus was wrecked in a gale on the Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
, but while many of Sir William's vases were lost, Shuldham's body was recovered through 'heroic efforts'.